


Wednesdays Are the Best

by mcdabulous



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: A good thing indeed, Abusive Relationships, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bottom Keith (Voltron), Bottom Shiro (Voltron), Cheating, Daddy Kink, Falling In Love, Gay Disaster Keith (Voltron), Gay Disaster Shiro (Voltron), Hunk and Keith are best friends, I know it looks bad but hold on it gets better, James is a mean guy, Keith (Voltron) Has Anxiety, Keith kicks ass, M/M, Matt (Voltron) Is a Tease, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Shiro (Voltron), SHEITH - Freeform, Sex, Shiro (Voltron) Has a Large Cock, Top Keith (Voltron), Top Shiro (Voltron), kinks are a thing, let the damn boys kiss, tags will be updated as story goes along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:22:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25489183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcdabulous/pseuds/mcdabulous
Summary: You don't expect the subway in a large city to be where you meet the love of your life. Well, for Shiro, that's completely and totally applicable to now.And Keith? He's got a long way to go.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	1. A Little Bump and Step

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! I will be updating this fic weekly if I can so help it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of what seems to be chaos, but in reality is the nicest thing Shiro has ever witnessed.

When Shiro sees this strange, beautiful specimen for the first time, it’s when they are on the subway.

Long, dark hair, piercing ruin-colored eyes that almost appeared violet in certain lightings while the streetlights caught glimpses of their color in its wake. A strong jaw, sturdy brows, a cute frown to die for that he had on constantly...

Shiro was utterly smitten, to say the least.

He had picked up a pattern; this man was there Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sometimes on the weekends, maybe going to an event or going to see a friend. Shiro rode the subway every day, so when said stranger wasn’t there, it was painfully noticeable. So what if he was a _little_ creepy in keeping track of his schedule? Shiro wasn’t blind to beauty, and this man definitely had a lot of it.

Why was it so hard to just _say_ something? Shiro had experience with flirting, it wasn’t like he was some schoolboy watching from afar (although, that’s what it seemed). He had classes everyday of the week and then went to visit his mom on the weekends, sometimes to go party, sometimes to just relax and be anywhere but his apartment.

It’s when they accidentally bump into one another, Shiro about to leave and the attractive stranger getting on, that he notices the scar on his cheek, how the color of his eyes is way more prominent up close. The intercom is going off, and the alarm is sounding for people to get away from the doors, yet somehow, Shiro ignores it all.

“Oh- I’m sorry, excuse me.” Shiro quickly caught the guy, looking at him apologetically, his heart pounding away in his ribcage.

“You’re fine, don’t worry. Were you, uh, about to get off? The train is-“ He started, turning his head to see the door close, Shiro going pale as he realized he had just missed his stop. 

_Great._

With a laugh, Shiro shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck and moving to stand instead, looking down at his new acquaintance with a sigh. “It’s fine, I’ll just catch the next stop. Shouldn’t be too far up ahead.”

He caught the guy’s gaze, smiling softly at him.

_C’mon, Takashi, make conversation._

“So… you come here often?” Shiro started, but immediately turned red, not meaning how that came off. “I- sorry, I didn’t mean it like that-“

The guy stared up at him, his eyes widening at what he said, his usual frown turning into a small smirk and a chuckle. _That_ was cute, Shiro thought to himself.

“It’s fine. My name is Keith. Yeah, I am on here a lot. I do some online courses, but also some in person courses at Altea Uni. I think you go there as well?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m Takashi, but my friends call me Shiro. And for the record, I practically live there. I do most of my classes in person, but the sub ride isn’t too bad. Gets me back and forth pretty quick.” Shiro cleared his throat, the blush on his face going away. “What do you major in?”

“Uhh… if I’m being honest, I’m completely undecided right now. Although, I am leaning more towards the fine arts. You?” Keith looked at him, his stare intense, Shiro realized.

“I’m doing astrophysics. I know that’s like, two different sides of the campus… so it makes sense I don’t see you often except on the sub.” The taller man quickly followed up, “Not that I’ve been watching you or anything, but I always see you on here, so…”

Keith shrugged and looked away, out the window. “Yeah. I take the sub a lot, but not as nearly as often as you.” He commented, but his face went pink.

Oh, so Shiro wasn’t the only one ogling. Good to know.

“Heh- yeah, you’re right. I’m- not bothered, I promise. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in talking to you, too.” Shiro reassured him, and watched as Keith snapped his head back at him, a small, surprised expression on his face.

“Oh, okay. Well that’s.. good, I guess.” Keith spoke awkwardly, not knowing how to save his side of the conversation. 

“Did you… wanna text, maybe? It’s cool if you’d rather not, I can give you my Instagram instead.” Shiro offered, clearing his throat once more and running his flesh hand through his hair.

“Yeah.” Keith answered almost too quickly but cursed under his breath and closed his eyes. “Yes, I’d like that. Both is fine, I’m not really active on insta but I don’t mind.” He offered his phone for Shiro to put his number in, and likewise, Shiro did the same for Keith.

“Alright, cool… Say, do you wanna-“ Shiro was about to ask Keith on a friend-date thing oh-so-casually, when the subway stopped and the doors opened. “Oh- uh, I’ll text you later?”

Keith nodded, holding his phone tight in the palm of his hand. “Yeah, I’ll text you. See you later, Shiro.”

“Thanks. See ya.” He smiled and waved, quickly heading off the subway and walking up the steps to the busy streets.

Oh my _god_ he finally fucking did it. Literally almost a year of staring at this guy- Keith- and it was actually happening. Shiro had always been a secret admirer, but maybe he could finally make this work? Sure, there was no guarantee that anything would happen, and they would most likely just stay friends, but… it took so long, and he finally got his number, just on a whim.

His surroundings drew him out of his mind, realizing that ah yes, he had originally forgotten his stop.

Now… how in the hell was he supposed to get home?

\--- 

Laying in bed in nothing but sweats, Shiro was getting ready for his nightly routine (or really, lack there of productivity), scrolling through his phone one last time before he went to go shower. That was, until he remembered to text Keith, immediately shooting him a ‘hey! how are you doin man’, setting his phone down so he wouldn’t stare too hard at their blank message board. It’d be full of gray and blue soon, he was sure.

He got up slowly, heading over to his small bathroom and taking a glance of himself in the mirror. Some scars here and there, his mechanical hand attached at the nub of his shoulder, the clear-as-day scar across the bridge of his nose. It made him grimace a little, shaking his head and walking over to the shower to turn it on.

For some reason, he got excited when he heard the ‘ding’ of his phone go off, and he quickly walked over to the bed, grabbing his phone and seeing that Keith texted him back.

_Sent 11:09pm Keith:[_ hey sorry I was busy taking care of my cat _]_  
_[_ yeah i’m doing alright, you okay? _]_

Shiro practically vibrated as he typed, just a little nervous.

_Sent 11:10pm Shiro:[_ Yeah, I’m about to take a shower. Got an early class tomorrow morning, so I’m trying to get some small stuff out of the way. Did you wanna maybe meet up tomorrow, for some coffee? _]_

The little chat bubble that showed when someone was typing kept appearing and then reappearing, Shiro getting even more nervous. There was no way someone who he just met would go to get coffee with him, right? Keith was so much more than just a simple coffee meeting, he was all the dates Shiro has ever gone on, the literal light of the universe-

_Sent 11:13pm Keith:[_ sure _]_  
_[_ i’ve got classes at 9:30-12, so we can meet up after if you’re free _]_

_What?_ Was he really all that anxious over nothing, it was that easy?

_Sent 11:14pm Shiro:[_ Okay, that works! I’ll see you at the Altea coffee shop on Friday, I’ve got classes from 8-12 so that’s fine. Looking forward to it. _]_

His nerves were on fire, but he was really going to see Keith.

Keith, the guy he has basically had a crush on for a year with absolutely no hopes in talking to him, actually had the attention of him. It was relieving but also so fucking awesome but anxiety inducing and Shiro quite literally threw his phone down in excitement, running his hands through his hair with a happy, exasperated sigh. 

..Shit, Shiro left the shower on for the last 10 minutes.


	2. You Want Some Coffee with that Anxiety?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith realizes that he's a little more interested than he's putting out to be.
> 
> Shiro finds a way somehow to befriend Keith further.

Likewise, Keith was never really aware of the other man who always stood on the train, but knew his presence was consistent every single time he was on the sub as well. He could sometimes see the individual glancing his way, Keith never really understanding why such an attractive person would be looking at him as if he was the same.

Steadily, he became brave, sometimes making eye contact with the stranger in hopes to finally draw in some conversation.

Being a college student with hardly any experience in flirting and dating besides his current relationship, there was no way he could be the one to make the first move. What was he even thinking? He was taken by his boyfriend, James, and that was that. No need to gaze at someone while they glance down at their phone with those beautiful cloud-colored hues, a straight and prominent jaw with the cutest floof of white hair and a scar that held so much more behind it. Not to mention, the guy had an amazing build, too, and often, Keith would find himself daydreaming of running his hands down those broad shoulders.

But again, he had James, so why the fuck was he becoming so desperate over a _stranger_?

When they finally talk for the first time, Keith is equally as nervous as Shiro seemed to be. The conversation doesn’t flow the greatest, but it shows how endearing Shiro is, how he sounds, the way he moves his hands when he talks. He takes note of the mechanical hand; not like he really cares, but there seemed to be a lot more to this guy than just a pretty face and nice body.

That of which Keith hopelessly wanted to get to know, physically and emotionally.

Questions like that could wait, though. When Shiro left the subway, Keith moved to sit at one of the vacant seats, sighing out of his nose and his breath catching a part of his bangs, making it float up and drift back down. He stared at Shiro’s number in his phone… it was almost surreal, to say the least. Keith had been trying to sneak sly glances at this guy for almost a year, and it wasn’t up until an accident today that he finally got the guts to have a conversation with him.

There was no way he was going to let this opportunity go to waste, if the least to become good friends, maybe even best friends, with Shiro.

His eyes flicker away from his phone, his thumb pressing the power button as he leaned his head back against the window with another heavy sigh. James would probably go through his phone later, ask who this new guy was. He could say a classmate, because he’s not necessarily lying; but if he dared to say a word that it was someone who he found incredibly attractive on the subway, James would probably react in a manner that could hurt Keith.

Wasn’t the first time, he thought to himself.

He laughed to himself solemnly, then relaxed his shoulders and closed his eyes. Whatever, he’d get through it, like he always did. Maybe he could spend some time with Hunk, one of his closest friends… that big, loving bear always knew how to cheer Keith up, with cupcakes and reassuring words.

But… he didn’t know Shiro, yet he wanted so badly to receive a hug from those welcoming arms. Maybe a pat on the shoulder, anything to receive some type of physical affirmation that he was okay.

That’s why such things are called dreams, though. They're never to actually happen.

Right?

\---

With class underway, the day went by pretty quick for a Friday. Shiro gathered his things, slipped them into his backpack, and quickly headed to the Altea coffee shop, glad to see his friend Hunk was there.

“Hey, man! How goes things? This place treating you well so far?” Shiro spoke as he set down his things at a nearby table, going up to the counter and speaking with Hunk while he was at the register.

“Yo, dude. Yeah, it beats working at my dad’s wood shop. Manual labor is nice and all, until it’s not.” Hunk laughed, slipping on some work gloves as he leaned against the counter. “What are you having today, the usual? Or are you going to try something spicy that I’ve been brewing up myself?”

Shiro’s eyes widened. “Ooo, maybe the ladder. Is it like… really spicy? You’re gonna start reminding me of my mom’s cooking.” He grinned, pulling out his wallet.

Hunk shook his head, bringing a hand up to stop him. “No, no. This is free of charge, man. It’s on me.” He smiled at him, quickly going behind the tall glass to grab him a cup, knowing Shiro preferred his coffee iced and a little on the sweeter, lighter side.

“Oh- thanks. I’ll leave a tip anyways.” Shiro pulled a dollar from his wallet and popped it into the tip jar, slipping that back into his pocket as he watched Hunk do his magic. “So, I’m meeting up with someone today. They’re… very attractive, and he seems so sweet. He’s got like this mullet type of thing going, but it’s a little longer than that.”

Hunk almost dropped the cup as he popped a straw into it, looking at Shiro with his mouth ajar. “What? Are you talking about my buddy, Keith?”

Shiro blushed at that. “Wait, you know him? Oh, god, Hunk- I promise I’m not trying to-“

He laughed and shook his head once more, sliding the drink over to Shiro with a wide grin. “No, no, you’re cool dude! Keith and I have been best friends since middle school. He’s a cutie, I don’t blame you for being interested in him. He does have a boyfriend, but… I’ll let him talk to you about that. It’s not exactly the best relationship.”

Shiro raised a brow at that, taking a sip of the coffee Hunk gave him. Oh, _wow_ , it was spicy.

“A troubling relationship?” Shiro repeated, thinking to himself for a moment. So, Keith was committed, but… Shiro would figure it out as he went along. Maybe get to know him as a friend first before you start getting all jealous, he thought to himself.

His mind was interrupted when he felt a tap to his shoulder, turning around and seeing Keith.

Never mind the fact that his face went a little red. “Oh- Keith! It’s good to see you.” He smiled, stepping aside.

“Hey, Keith. I was just talking to your friend here. Didn’t know you could still make those.” Hunk snickered, already handing Keith his cup of coffee. Shiro wondered how he took his coffee.

“Thanks, and hello. You two know each other?” Keith spoke, sipping on his coffee and ignoring the teasing from Hunk.

“Yep! If I had known you two were gonna be friends, I would have let you guys meet a long time ago.” Hunk shrugged. “Shiro comes here every morning pretty early.”

“That makes sense.” Keith shrugged, then looked to Shiro and pointed at a table with some stuff at it. “Is that yours?”

“Yeah, go ahead and sit. I’ll be there in a sec.” Shiro smiled and watched as Keith left, then looked to Hunk with an expression of _‘oh no he’s hot’_.

“Sorry, buddy. You got this, though! Just go talk to him, I think the two of you are really going to get along.” Hunk grinned, shooing Shiro away with his hand.

Fortunately, Shiro made his way back to their table with his sustenance, sitting across from Keith and pulling out his laptop so he could get some studying done. Keith was scrolling through his phone, then looked up at Shiro as he sipped from his drink, setting it down and taking a deep breath in. “So, how were classes?”

Thank goodness Keith had the ability to start a conversation, because Shiro was as nervous as ever. “Pretty good! I have some really good professors, except for… Professor Slav.” The taller man practically shuddered at the name.

Keith grimaced. “Ew. I’ve heard that name before, he’s infamous for his rants on different realities, right?”

“Oh, you have no clue. He’s supposed to be the chair of the astronomy department, and don’t get me wrong, he’s a smart, tiny man. But my _god_ , he is absolutely unbearable when it comes to logic and actually getting work done.” Shiro laughed, shaking his head. “I have a lot of patience as a person, but he tests it every day, it seems.”

Keith grinned. “You have him five days a week? That’s gotta be horrific. I think it would be a sight to see someone like you get annoyed and on edge, though.”

Shiro blushed at that. “What?” He squawked, feeling himself sweat anxiously. “I mean- I guess? He’s about the only person who gets under my skin.”

“You just seem like the type of person who rarely ever gets upset.” Keith shrugged, going to sip his drink again, not breaking eye contact with Shiro as he swallowed.

What was _that_ supposed to mean? And why was the room suddenly getting much hotter?

“I- you’re right.” Shiro stuttered, breaking the contact so he could glance down at his screen, hoping that would give him some place to hide. “…You seem like the type of person who tries to fight everyone every chance they get.” He teased back, letting his eyes peer over the top of his laptop to make eye contact with him again.

At that, Keith blushed, Shiro feeling successful. “You’re not wrong. I was really bad when I was a kid. Always got into fights and arguments.” Keith gave him a small smile, and Shiro felt his heart melt.

“Maybe sometimes the battle is worth fighting?” Shiro smiled back, and he saw Keith’s happiness fade, but his eyes read something completely and utterly different.

“Hardly.” Keith spoke, adjusting his gloves on his wrists before looking back at Shiro. “Well, anyways, I uh… I have to get going soon, I’m going on a date with my boyfriend.”

Ah, so there it was. “Oh, okay. What’s his name?” Shiro spoke, genuinely curious.

“James Griffin. He’s in your class major.” Keith gathered his things, slinging his backpack onto his shoulder.

Shiro knew that guy. He made incredible grades all the time, a year younger than him. He often would see his name on the boards for scores, and professors talked largely about him, like they did for Shiro. Maybe James wasn’t too bad of a guy?

“That’s cool, alright. Maybe I’ve seen him before.” Shiro smiled at him, trying to mentally calm down. “I’ll see you later?”

Keith stopped for a minute as he pushed in his chair, and it was like Shiro could physically see Keith thinking.

“…Yeah. I’ll text you. I’m probably going to be hanging out with Hunk later at the gardens, so if you wanna come, we’ll be there in the afternoon. I usually paint.”

Oh. “Totally, yeah. I’ll be there.” Shiro waved to Keith as he walked out of the coffee shop, unmistakably seeing that little happy glint of expression in his eyes as he pushed the door open and out.

“You’re both whipped for one another, just saying.” Hunk chirped from behind the counter.

“Wh- no, we’re not! He’s clearly taken, Hunk.” Shiro stood and blushed, looking at his friend with a surprised expression.

“I’ve hardly ever seen him react like that to someone teasing him. Usually he’ll spit back some sarcastic remark.” Hunk shrugged. “He doesn’t even react like that to James.”

Whoa, wait, really? Shiro looked down at his laptop, and then back to Hunk with a happy sigh. “You think he likes me?”

“I think he’s definitely interested. I mean, he invited you to hang out with us. Like I said, he hardly ever does that for James.” He smiled, turning his back on Shiro and going to pour himself a cup of coffee. “Don’t be afraid to go for it, Shiro.”

He was afraid, to say the least. 

But not afraid enough to where he’d stop here now.


	3. Well Yes, but Actually No (The Calm Before the Storm)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro promises a trip to go see Mothman.
> 
> Keith is somewhat of a dumbass.

Late into the afternoon, the sun set warmed the earth around them just a little, the cold air of winter sparking conversation and shudders all throughout those who dare stand in its wake. The trees were bare, and Keith was busy painting, art supplies all around him like some summoning circle as Hunk talked to him about some co-worker drama that was happening at the Altea coffee shop.

“And Lance, of course, keeps trying to hardcore flirt with the manager’s daughter, Allura! I want to smack him sometimes, Keith. It’s like he has no sense of personal bubble space.” Hunk shook his head, crossing his arms as he sat and looked to Keith. “What’cha drawing?”

Keith was listening absent-mindedly, too focused on this painting to really pay attention. “It’s just some of the wilted flowers from the garden, but… I wanted to play with the colors a little bit. Do you think this looks any good so far?” It was a rough sketch, but he had already started to mix bright whites, blacks and purples of all variations, testing colors that would fit the palette nicely.

“Oh- wow, Keith. Yeah, that’s good so far. I like it a lot.” Hunk was in awe at his best friend’s talent, nodding. “I approve. I’m surprised you’re using those colors; did you get inspiration from somewhere?”

And like that, Shiro was walking over to the two of them, joggers and a jacket pulled over his tank top to try and keep warm. He had clearly been working out, and he was a sight for sore eyes, Keith thought to himself. A very nice sight for his sore eyes.

“Hey guys, sorry I’m late. I was doing my normal routine.” Shiro smiled, his face slightly red from the exertion of working out. He moved to sit down and join them, deciding to pick his spot next to Keith. “How are things going?”

“Oh, nothing much. Keith is sketching out a painting, and I’m ranting about life. Anything happening with you?” Hunk smiled, placing his hands in his lap comfortably.

Shiro ran a hand through his hair, shrugging. “Not much. Classes are going pretty easy for now, and I only go see my mom on the weekends.”

Keith raised a brow, glancing to Shiro. “Your mom? How far is she?”

The question caught Shiro a little off-guard, not expecting the conversation to turn into his mom. “She’s in the next town over. It’s about an hour ride from here, but it’s not terrible. I’ll usually take care of her and stuff, do her shopping for her and then come back for classes throughout the week.”

With a small smile, he turned his eyes back to the painting, letting the stroke of his hand go slow in thought. “That’s really nice of you, Shiro. What else do you do?”

Oh, gosh. Even the smallest compliment got Shiro stuttering. “Well, uhm… I love to workout, but I guess that’s not really a hobby. I’ve always dreamt of going to space, but I doubt that’ll ever happen.” He spoke, looking down at his right hand.

“Don’t doubt yourself.” Keith frowned. “You’ve made it this far, so keep proving everyone else wrong.”

Silence hung in the air.

Hunk’s eyes widened at that, before clearing his throat and patting Keith’s back gently. “Right, okay. I’m gonna go to the bathroom, I’ll be back alright?” He spoke, quickly going away and hiding behind the green house so he could listen to their conversation.

“…How do you know that?” Shiro frowned also, looking at Keith and letting his hand rest on the ground. “I’ve never had someone tell me that I can keep going, I’ve always told myself that.”

“I understand. I grew up surrounded by people who challenged me every day and told me I could never do it. The only person I had was my mom.” Keith took in a deep breath and set down his pencil so he could look at Shiro. “Even if I don’t know what I want to do in the future, I know what I want to do now. I’ll take that and use it to my advantage. Your-…” He stopped himself for a moment but shook it off. “Your arm shouldn’t stop you.”

Shiro was shocked, to say the least. Keith hardly knew Shiro, and yet he just read him like a fucking book. It was… different, scary, maybe a little exciting that someone finally wouldn’t say ‘I’m sorry’ when they see he had lost his arm. It wasn’t pity and sympathy that Keith was giving, no.

It was truth, it was inspiration.

Shiro highly admired that.

“…Thank you.” Shiro smiled at him, genuinely, reaching a hand over to pat Keith’s shoulder. “Admittedly, there are days when it’s hard, but… it’s things like you said that keep me going.”

Keith almost jumped, but he relaxed into it, turning his head away and unmistakably smiling to himself. “No problem.”

Shiro let his hand slide off Keith’s shoulder, moving it back to the ground and sighing softly. “Anyways, do you mind if I look at what you’re doing? I’m terrible at art, but I’d love to see it if you’re willing to share.”

The smaller man hummed and looked at his work, then nodded and showed it to Shiro. “I don’t normally like to share, but I trust you.”

He could notice the small details, every little scratch of the sketch depicting what a wilted flower could do with the potential of one single stroke. “It’s gorgeous so far, even if it is just a sketch. You’re really good at that, you know.”

Keith flustered, quickly setting it back down and clearing his throat. “It’s nothing, really. There’s not even paint on the page yet, so I may not even finish it.”

“What? But you’re so good at it! If you can draw, I can only imagine what other types of talents you might have. What else are you interested in?” Shiro questioned, scooting only an inch closer to Keith. 

“Oh, uh… besides painting? I like studying… supernatural things. Like conspiracies and theories and such. Wh- Why are you laughing?!” Keith turned impossibly red as Shiro smirked, the other man laughing.

“No, no! I’m not laughing at you, but I really find it cute. I’ve always had a niche for the stranger things, too. What’s one of your faves?” Shiro grinned at him, nudging his shoulder to try and edge him on.

Keith stayed silent for a moment, before answering as serious as he could. “Mothman.”

That alone cracked Shiro’s shit up, laughing again and shaking his head. “Mothman? Why that one? There’s literally so many more theories out there, and you choose the one that’s located in Virginia?”

“West Virginia, excuse you. And yes, I love Mothman very much.” Keith huffed as he picked back up his work and continued drawing, trying to ignore the hot feeling on his face. Shiro had the audacity to call him ‘cute’ when the man himself was like fucking Adonis.

“Ah, well, maybe we’ll go together one day to West Virginia to hunt for Mothman.” Shiro offered, leaning on the palms of his hands as he laid back.

Keith turned his head to look at him, a wide grin on his face. “You’d actually wanna go with me? Do you realize what you’re promising to me, _Takashi?_ ”

“I think I know exactly what I’m doing.” Shiro spoke confidently, although the hint of his actual name on the end of Keith’s remark had his heart pounding, his face undeniably turning pink.

Keith wasn’t about to let up, raising a cocky brow and turning his body more to face him. “Do you? Because you’d be going on a trip with me, to West Virginia, us two _alone-_ “

Everything was quickly interrupted when the two of them heard a whoop and holler, Matt appearing behind Shiro almost immediately. “’Sup, dude! Shiro, what are you doing over in the gardens? It’s like, in the middle of the fucking winter.”

Shiro wanted to crawl under the pavement, knowing Matt probably heard their conversation. “I’m talking to my friend, if you can’t see that. Keith, this is Matt. He’s my best friend.” He spoke, glancing up to look at him. “What are you doing in the garden?”

“Coming to find you, is all. Hey, so, there is that bombass frat party happening this weekend. Are you gonna be busy at all? I wouldn’t mind going by myself, but… I think you’d have fun, too. All of my buddies are going.” Matt crossed his arms and peered over at Keith. He’d seen him before, but this was the first time actually meeting him.

“Uhh…” Shiro sighed, lolling his head back to look at Keith for some help. He really hated going to parties, frat parties especially.

_“I’ll go with you._ ” Keith spoke boldly, why _in the fuck_ did he just say that?

Shiro was equally as surprised, his eyes widening. Keith, no-

“Alright, bet! It’s a date for you two then. Invite whoever else you want, I’ma go. See ya later, Takashi. And bye, Keith.” Matt waved, walking away and heading back towards the technology building.

Shiro’s eyes met Keith’s, and they both looked like they needed a drink. “…Nice. So, are you actually going to go?”

Keith groaned loudly as he shoved away his painting and rubbed his face, looking at Shiro with a glare. “How do you think I feel? I wasn’t expecting this to happen, and I thought maybe I’d be saving your ass from having to go. Maybe I’ll invite James, Hunk and Lance can go too…” He ran his hands through his long, messy hair, bending his neck to either side so he could pop it.

Shiro paid attention to the way his muscles moved, clearing his throat. “Right. Okay, well… we can all go as a group, then. Do you think James will be alright with it?”

The other man visibly tensed up, his fingers stopping their movement through his own hair. “I… think so? He likes impressing people, so I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s a lot like my friend Lance, cocky and attention-needy… James is just way more graceful and an asshole.” He frowned, and Shiro noticed it.

Did Keith not like James all that much? Why was he still in a relationship with him?

“Hey… do you mind if I ask something? And you don’t have to answer, if it makes you uncomfortable.” Shiro’s brows furrowed in concern, looking at him. “…Are you and James okay?”

That made Keith stiffen once again, and he moved to stand, gathering up his materials and shoving them all into his backpack uncoordinated. “Yeah, we’re fine. Don’t worry about that.” He didn’t even look at Shiro when he said that and judging by how impatiently he was trying to get away from the conversation and Shiro, he can tell he struck a sensitive nerve.

“Oh, okay. I’m… sorry. Do you need a hug or anything?” Shiro spoke, also moving to stand up, offering a hand.

Keith’s eyes widened as he stared at his hand, putting his hair up into a messy ponytail before walking to him and gladly accepting the hug, abruptly and quickly.

Shiro was surprised, but happily wrapped his arms around Keith, smiling softly. He knew he probably didn’t smell or feel the best from all the sweat, but Keith was happy to press his face into his neck, the gesture making his heartbeat just that much faster.

It seemed like neither of them were going to let go anytime soon, and Shiro took in the way Keith’s hair smelt. It was like soft burning wood, caramelized apples on a summer afternoon, smoke from a cabin. All of those things contributed to just how good it felt to have him in his arms, but sadly, he was the first to break away.

Keith looked up at him, letting go and stepping back, swallowing hard and clearing his throat. “Uh- okay, yeah. I’ll text you. See you soon.” He sent him a little awkward smile before quickly turning and walking away, his face so red that it was almost embarrassing.

And Shiro? He didn’t miss a second of it.

Neither did Hunk, apparently.


	4. Party 'til We're Purple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro finds Keith, really, really attractive.
> 
> Keith stands up for himself, but at what cost?

Getting ready for a party wasn’t something Keith was used to. He hardly ever went to events like this, but after keeping in touch with Shiro about it, he felt a little less awkward that he wasn’t the only one stressing out over an outfit.

Thankfully, Lance and Hunk were there to help.

“Keith- how come you have no shorts? Or… anything?” Lance groaned as he went through his closet, Hunk and Keith sitting on his bed while the noodle boy sifted through hanger after hanger.

“I just- don’t?” He rolled his eyes, bringing a leg up to rest his chin on his knee. “I don’t usually wear those types of things; you know my style. Plus… James hates it when I wear stuff like that.”

Lance scoffed. “Man, fuck James. He controls so much of what you do anyway…” He mumbled.

“Now, now, Lance. That’s not for us to worry about. Keith can take care of himself, right?” Hunk looked at Keith, light concern covering his face. “Right?”

“Right, right. Okay, well, if you can’t find something-“ Keith started, but was immediately interrupted by a whoop.

“Okay! I think I found a viable outfit. Keith, you’re about to be looking like the hottest femboy from Hooters.” Lance grinned with a laugh, holding up a couple clothing items. “Just kidding. I went a little more straightforward and grunge-y with what you have. I think it’ll suit you, though.”

Keith grinned, moving to stand up and look at the items Lance picked out. He looked through them, noticing the crop top that he hadn’t worn in literally years, so it was sure to fit snug. But… Lance always had good taste, so he trusted him this one time, heading to the bathroom so he could try it all on.

As said before, his outfit consisted of the tightest pair of black jeans, everything hugged his waist, thighs, ass and hips nicely. The crop top had no sleeves, tight to his toned pecs and the neck part coming up about half-way, sort of like a chopped turtleneck that was made with matte latex. Paired with some thick black combat boots, a cropped leather jacket to cover his arms, and his hair done in a messy ponytail, Keith felt like he was coming straight out of a club.

“Whoa, damn, Keith!” Lance shouted, practically gasping as he ran over and eyed his outfit. He looked everywhere, which made Keith a little self-conscious, but if he looked good, so be it.

“Woooooow… jesus, Keith. You’re always wearing hoodies and flannels, but you have abs?” Hunk mused, moving to stand up and crossing his arms. “You’re going to make a certain someone die, you know.”

Lance wiggled his eyebrows, brushing off Keith’s shoulder as he did so. “Yeah. You talkin’ about that Shiro guy? His mouth is going to water when he sees you, buddy.”

Keith flustered, shuffling his shoulders so he could slide off the leather cropped jacket. “I’m not trying to make him… desperate. But I admit… I do look really good.” He whispered, looking at himself in the mirror. For some reason, the all black made him look almost villain-ish, but it was a look. A look that suited Keith well.

“Damn straight, dude! We’ll pair it with a little eye makeup, some contour. You’re gonna look hot, Keith. I’m gonna be jealous, and I don’t even like you.” Lance stood back, proud of his work as he puffed his chest out. “We’ll be with you, so you don’t have to worry about being alone. Plus, I’ve seen Shiro; he looks like he could bench all of us. At the same time.”

Keith cleared his throat at that, nodding. “You’re right.”

It was sort of fucked up, to imagine James leaving his boyfriend at parties. This isn’t the first time James has gone with Keith to a party, and then leave him all by himself at said party. It’s happened more than Keith can count on his fingers, but thankfully, he’s always had Hunk or Lance there with him - except for the first time. It had been actual hell, but he got home at least, and when James got home, well…

You can imagine the arguing and fights they got into.

Getting out of his thoughts, he slipped everything off and set it aside, deciding he’ll leave it be for now and wear it to the party tomorrow. James would be coming to visit Keith tonight, and they had a small movie date planned, which was nice. No going out and doing anything; just the two of them, at home, alone.

It was just simple. Only simple. It’d become something more though, Keith knew. It was already playing out in his mind – James would make a move, Keith would go into it. He’d do whatever he wanted to make himself feel better. If Keith said no, he got told that he was worthless, and James was the only person who gave him a home.

Whether it was abuse or some weird fear tactic, Keith couldn’t see the very thin line.

The thought made him shiver, brushing his hand over the scar on his cheek.

James did that, he thought to himself.

* * *

Shiro, on the other hand, had video-called Matt, the two deciding together on what they should wear.

“We could wear matching Hawaiian shirts, bro!” He called from the speakers of Shiro’s phone, and all the man could do was roll his eyes.

“No, Matt. I’m actually trying to look presentable, you know? Like, nice?” Shiro went through his clothes, picking out some items and trying to mold together a vague idea of an outfit. Not that he really cared, as his last minute decisions usually looked the best on him, but he…

He, truthfully, wanted to impress Keith.

It wasn’t like he was going on a date with him or anything, but if he could sneak him away for a moment just so they could take in one another, then it’d be mission accomplished. That was all he was hoping for, really… and it wasn’t like Keith was totally uninterested in him.

Maybe he was reading way too much into it? Probably, but you can’t stop a man in love.

“Shiroooooo, oh my god can you fucking answer?” Matt whined, and Shiro groaned as he looked at the camera, squinting to try and see what Matt was wearing. It was a cute outfit that suited him, fit for a frat boy himself.

Shiro tried to join a fraternity his first year, but it just… never really piqued his interest. The whole scene of ‘bros’ and drinking and partying along with initiations. The rivalries seemed nice, since Shiro did have a challenge streak in him, but it just wasn’t worth the hassle. Plus, shared houses. That was gross to think about.

“I like that on you. Really brings out the straight-ness in you.” Shiro teased, moving out of the camera’s sight so he could change into what he found might be good. It was a white turtleneck with the sleeves going down his arms, light blue jeans that were looser around the ankles but tight around his waist, some brown work boots that he liked. All of that put together with a nice belt, the sweater tucked in at the waist, and a vintage brown-leather pilot coat that had ‘Galaxy Garrison’ written on the back of it – he looked like he was going to some 70’s themed party, but the style was nice on him.

He came back into the shot, and Matt whistled, immediately gaining his attention and blushing red. “Wh- no, stop whistling! I don’t think I look that good-“

“Dude, what the fuck? You look like you’re ready to show someone the ropes on how to ‘hold a joystick’.” Matt snickered at his innuendo, and Shiro only flustered more.

“Excuse me? There is literally no one right now that I’d even want to-“

Matt gasped, stopping him right there. “Shut it, lover boy. You like that guy, what was his name… Keith! I’ve seen him around before, and he’s your type. You wouldn’t be sitting in the gardens with him if you weren’t there to talk to him.” He crossed his arms. “I know you, Shirogane. Remember when you took Adam on that first date? It was at a garden.”

“Wh- okay, you know what, I think I’ve gotta go. Dinner is calling my name.” Shiro quickly grabbed his phone and hung up, slipping off the jacket and tossing it onto the bed with a sigh.

Okay, yeah, he had a crush on Keith. Can you really blame him, though? Those eyes that held so much turmoil behind them, every single thing that has happened to him, and Shiro wanted to peel down those walls one by one to get to know him, at their pace. However slow or fast they possibly wanted to take it.

Keith… he was something different, by all of Shiro’s standards. The most alluring thing had to be his hair, the length of it and how silky it seemed, yet fluffy from the thickness of it, down to his shoulder blades. It framed his face perfectly… James must be the luckiest guy on the planet.

Speaking of which, why was Keith so hesitant to talk about James? After hearing what Hunk had to say, plus Keith’s reaction, he could only assume bad things. That alone made him want to protect Keith desperately, to see him be okay. But James was such an icon among his younger peers, and he seemed to be holding himself well up and along the ranks of students. Not to mention, he was a very good looking guy himself. It made sense that someone as attractive as Keith would be taken by someone who was also attractive, not nearly as much as Keith.

Now that he thought about it… when he first saw Keith on the subway, he always noticed his flawless complexion and his face was clear. Shiro didn’t care about scars or acne, but one day, that scar just… showed up.

The realization hit him like a freight train.

* * *

The lights of the party were a lot on Keith’s eyes, but with the bass bumping through the large frat house, it was hard not to get into the mood of partying. With James by his side and Lance and Hunk behind him, it felt good, truthfully. Having the people who he cared about the most around him, all having fun… and of course, Keith was the first to ask for a drink, grinning as he relaxed into the heavy atmosphere.

James had went off for a moment with some of his friends, and Lance and Hunk were vibing around the edges of the party, so Keith went with them, instead. The dance floor was not a place where he was comfortable, and if James was okay there, then that was fine. He’d go get his boyfriend if he needed him, obviously.

His body stopped when he saw Shiro walk in through the front door, looking incredibly good and comfortable with such a… casual but form-fitting outfit. He felt almost outplayed, even if he was the one who dressed abnormally, contrary to his usual style.

Likewise, Shiro’s eyes immediately locked onto Keith’s, and holy shit, the lighting in the party was not doing Keith’s outfit or body justice.

Music was blaring, and Shiro’s gaze didn’t leave Keith’s for a second, some song by Usher playing in the background. It wasn’t until a certain verse was sung that Shiro was very aware of just how much he wanted to get closer, get his hands on Keith, those violet hues meeting cloudy grays in the sultriest way possible.

_Kill the lights,_

_Shut’em off_

_You’re electric._

_Devil eyes_

_Tellin’ me_

_‘Come and get it.’_

Matt was saying something, but he quickly waved him off and walked over to the group, trying not to look so obvious in how he breathed in deep and swallowed. Hunk and Lance said hello to him, and Shiro didn’t even register it, still practically eye-fucking with Keith. The way that crop top fit his chest, leaving little to the imagination as those hard lines lead down to tight jeans. Was it possible to get hard from someone just staring at you? Shiro was discovering this very quickly.

Keith gazed right back, not even being subtle as he let his eyes drift down Shiro’s body, wanting to slip off that jacket and see how that sweater hugged him in all the right ways. That belt was enticing too, and Keith wanted to get down on his knees and undo it with his teeth-

_Girl tonight, you’re the prey_

  
_I’m the hunter._

  
_Take you here, take you there_

_Take you under._

  
_Imagine me whisperin’ in your ear,_

  
_That I wanna_

  
_Take off all your clothes_

  
_And put somethin’ on ya._

The clear cough that Lance let out knocked them both out of their trance, grinning at the two of them and shaking his head. “It hasn’t even been five minutes, guys. C’mon now.”

Hunk smacked Lance’s arm gently, smiling at Shiro. “Hey, man. Glad you could make it. Matt with you?”

Shiro blushed and laughed, tearing his stare away from Keith so he could look at the two of them. “Yeah, he’s already off to the dance floor, though. I figured I’d come say hi to you guys first.”

Keith put a hand on his hip, sending Shiro a small smirk, just the slight tilt of his lips. “Didn’t think you’d actually come.”

Shiro raised a brow at him, moving his hands into his pockets. “Wouldn’t miss seeing you… Glad I did.” He smirked back, their eyes locking again in some heated weird fuckery that left a ton of tension between them, Lance practically gagging as he got in the middle of them and waved his hands around to try and stop them.

“Okay guys; either go get a room or stop stripping one another with your eyes!” He feigned throwing up and took another sip of his drink, shaking his head. “Hunk, buddy, I’m gonna go grab another drink. Deal with these two.”

Hunk sighed, crossing his arms and smiling at the two of them. “You guys managed to scare Lance away, good job. Shiro, have you even officially met Lance yet?”

At that, he sucked in a sharp breath in. “No, I feel bad now. Someone caught my attention, so…”

Keith narrowed his eyes at Shiro. “Clearly. You look like you’re about to eat that certain someone.”

He almost shivered at his words, hating how he had Shiro wrapped around his finger. “And if I was?” Shiro spoke, and Hunk decided there that he had to stop the two of them.

“Okay, no- enough.” Hunk shooed his hands, looking at Keith. “Just be careful, man. James is still here, and he is your boyfriend.”

Keith huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, biting his cheek. “Fine, fine. I’m going to walk around a little more. You want to go with?” He spoke, looking at Shiro.

“Yeah, sure.” He smiled at him, the first of many he assumed that would come with this evening.

As Hunk left the two of them to do whatever, Keith led Shiro around back, stepping into some weird laundry room with only three other people in there. The music could still be heard clearly, and he could tell Keith wanted to be alone with him.

“Do you dance?” Shiro asked, bringing a hand up to run his fingers through Keith’s hair.

“Not well, but I can. I prefer not to.” Keith admitted, letting Shiro do as he wanted, still looking up at him.

He chuckled at that. “Me too. But I would love to dance with you, if that’s okay? Since we’re in a private space already.”

The intimate setting called for some touching, and the both of them knew this. They each wanted it at the same degree, to take the pace slow yet tease one another with the prospect of more. Shiro’s hands found Keith’s waist, and familiar, long fingers dragged their way up the taller man’s chest, resting with a firm grip at his shoulders. Some lights from the strobes were making their way through the doorway, and Shiro and Keith were dancing in the midst of it, simply moving with the music and taking in one another.

_I’m so into you,_

_I can barely breathe._

_And all I wanna do,_

_Is to fall in deep._

Shiro looked down at Keith, his eyes following the oh-so-familiar lines of his neck, collar bone, chest. His waist felt good to hold, and their bodies rubbing against one another was impossible to just ignore. It seemed like Shiro wasn’t the only one being affected, Keith’s face close and his lips slightly parted.

_But close ain’t close enough,_

_‘til we cross the line._

_Oh, yeah.._

_So name a game to play,_

_And I’ll roll the dice._

Keith was too busy staring at how Shiro’s eyes were locked on him, the forelock on his hair swaying with each of their movements. He pressed his forehead against Shiro’s when he leaned closer, shutting his eyes for a moment as he felt the other man’s hot breath on his lips.

It was so much, and yet not enough. And just as Shiro was tempted to close that space, he felt a hand on his shoulder, jumping and turning around to see Matt. “Jesus fucking christ- Matt!” He whisper-yelled, Keith seeing who it was and then laughing after at Shiro’s reaction.

“Heh- sorry, man! Saw that you were a little busy, but I need a favor. I can hardly see straight, and I need my jacket out of my car. Can you go grab it for me?” He clumsily handed Shiro his keys, and with a roll of his eyes, he looked at Keith, smiling sheepishly.

“I’ll be back.” He spoke and pressed a kiss to the top of Keith’s forehead, both blushing as Shiro quickly hurried back outside.

* * *

Keith was walking around by himself for now, knowing Shiro would find him later. He eventually found himself at the dance floor, moving with some music, when he saw towards the heaped crowd a familiar face.

“…James?” Keith spoke, more so to himself, and as soon as he saw another girl dancing with him, he felt his heart break. Okay, maybe he was the biggest hypocrite ever, but seeing your boyfriend dancing with someone else, especially after all the shit he has put him through?

All he saw was red as he sprinted forward and yelled, grabbing James’ collar and forcing him to look at him, tears breaching the edges of his eyes.

The argument was anything but pretty. Keith was pouring his heart out, and everyone turned to the two of them, Griffin just simply standing there and listening. But, when the man brought a hand up and slapped Keith across the face, it was game-fucking-on.

Keith was already on top of him, throwing punches at his face, everyone in the crowd shouting and crowding around the two of them as Keith carelessly kept beating the shit out of him. No, there was no way he was just going to sit back after three of his life was wasted, keeping this piece of shit happy.

Or apparently, he wasn’t happy at all.

His rage was quickly dwindled when he felt someone yanking him back by the shoulder, snapping his head around and seeing it was Shiro. He frowned as he was pulled off him, and Shiro hauled him over his shoulder, ignoring the kicking and shouting as he took him upstairs, found a vacant bathroom, and locked the two of them in there.

“Wh- Shiro, why the fuck did you take me away from him!?” Keith was crying, his makeup messed up from the slap. He grabbed the sides of Shiro’s jacket and shook his with the force, his knuckles red from when he wouldn’t stop punching James.

“Because, Keith, you could get in huge trouble! You know your career is riding on this, right? Everything that you’ve worked for, tooth and nail, isn’t worth his face being pounded into. Yes, he deserves it,” Shiro grabbed Keith’s shoulders. “But you don’t deserve the repercussions!”

“Takashi, let go of me, or so help me-“

Shiro silenced Keith with the only thing he could think of doing, his lips meeting Keith’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! You can thank @disgracecosplay on insta for the wonderful art they did of my boys thirsting over one another :eyes:. His art tumblr is also http://sirlancelart.tumblr.com , so please go check him out!

**Author's Note:**

> Omgomg hiii! This is my first ever Sheith fic, and gosh I am so nervous to post this, but I'm doing it anyways. I've got a lot planned for this story, and I intend to put these two through the worst and best things of their life. My insta is @mcdadulous (I am a cosplayer), and my Twitter is where I just retweet NSFW Sheith and some political opinions lmao. That's @Oofmachine1. Thanks for reading!


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